BeMSA Exchanges Outgoing Booklet 2020-2021
Publisher
About BeMSA
Belgian Medical Students’ Association VZW (BeMSA)
The Belgian Medical Students' Association (BeMSA) is a Belgian student-run organisation. As of the 2018-2019 academic year, it represents medical students from 8 of the faculties across the country, while also establishing international connections through the existing network of 137 national member organisations of the International Federation of Medical Students' Associations (IFMSA).
Brusselsestraat 246 3000 Leuven, Belgium Contact information Homepage: www.BeMSA.be Email: pr@BeMSA.be /BeMSA.Belgium @BeMSA_Belgium @BeMSA_Belgium
This is a BeMSA publication © 2020 - Only portions of this publication may be reproduced for non-political and non-profit purposes, provided mentioning the source. Disclaimer This publication contains the collective views of different contributors, the opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position of BeMSA. The mention of specific companies or of certain manufacturers’ products does not imply that they are endorsed or recommended by BeMSA in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned. Notice All reasonable precautions have been taken by BeMSA to verify the information contained in this publication. However, the published material is being distributed without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied. The responsibility for the interpretation and use of the material herein lies with the reader. Some of the photos and graphics used in this publication are the property of their respective authors. We have taken every consideration not to violate their rights.
Each year we organise a series of events on a local, national and international level. Additionally, our clinical and research exchange programs send over 100 Belgian students abroad every year, while accommodating the same number of foreign students. This allows them to explore innovations in medicine, healthcare systems and healthcare delivery in various settings across the globe. BeMSA brings people together to exchange, discuss and initiate projects with the goal of creating a healthier world. It provides medical students with the skills and resources needed to be health leaders. With the help of the IFMSA, it also advocates for the pressing issues that matter to us to shape the world we want to live in. And it does deliver: our projects, our campaigns and our activities positively impact the physicians-to be alongside the communities they serve.
Table of contents TABLE OF CONTENTS .................................................................................. 3 •••
INTRODUCTION .............................................................................. 2
•••
CONTACT ....................................................................................... 3
•••
WHAT IS BEMSA? WHAT IS IFMSA? ................................................ 4
•••
WHAT IS SCOPE? WHAT IS SCORE? ................................................. 5
•••
HOW DO I GET SELECTED FOR AN EXCHANGE? ............................... 6
•••
TESTIMONIALS ............................................................................... 9
•••
SUMMARY ..................................................................................... 9
•••
SUMMARY ................................................................................... 10
•••
IMPORTANT LINKS ....................................................................... 11
•••
ABBREVIATIONS ........................................................................... 12
•••
PRIVACY ....................................................................................... 13
•••
COUNTRY LIST .............................................................................. 14
1. 2.
SCOPE: PROFESSIONAL EXCHANGE .......................................................... 14 SCORE: RESEARCH EXCHANGE ................................................................ 16
Belgian Medical Students’ Association – Outgoing Booklet 2020-2021
•••
Introduction
With great pleasure, we present to you BeMSA's official Outgoing Booklet. In this booklet, you will find information regarding the International Federation of Medical Students' Associations' Professional (SCOPE) and Research (SCORE) Exchanges - what are they, how can I apply, which countries can I go to – and the organisation behind it. Do you want to discover foreign cultures and combine this with scientific research? Then SCORE might be something for you! Would you rather discover new healthcare systems while doing an internship abroad? Then don't wait any longer and apply for SCOPE. Throughout this booklet, you will find that SCOPE, the Standing Committee on Professional Exchange, and SCORE, the Standing Committee on Research Exchange, will be grouped together for the most part. This is because the essentials are very similar. The differences will be highlighted and, in the end, hopefully, everything will be clear! We highly encourage you to read this booklet before applying, so you can become familiar with the whole program and process. If you still have questions, don't hesitate to contact your Local Exchange Officer (LEO) or Local Officer on Research Exchange (LORE) from your respective university! You can find their contact information on the next page. We wish you all the best exchange experience!
2
Belgian Medical Students’ Association – Outgoing Booklet 2020-2021
•••
Contact
Our exchange program is managed by a fantastic team of local and national officers. You can find the structure of the team and all their contact information below. First of all, you have the NEO (National Exchange Officer), NOREs (National Officers on Research Exchange) and the VPX (Vice President for Exchanges). They oversee the national aspect of the Professional and Research Exchanges. The NEO and/or NORE-out handles all the tasks related to the outgoing students while the NEO and/or NORE-in handles the tasks associated with the incoming students. SCOPE and SCORE are represented in every university or LC (Local Committee) by local officers. These LEOs (Local Exchange Officers) and LOREs (Local Officers on Research Exchange) handle the exchanges' local aspects, such as promoting exchanges and finding tutors & accommodation for incoming students. They will also answer all your questions regarding the exchanges, so don't hesitate to contact them. You can contact the LEO for SCOPE-related questions and the LORE for SCORE-related questions.
3
Belgian Medical Students’ Association – Outgoing Booklet 2020-2021
•••
What is BeMSA? What is IFMSA?
The Belgian Medical Students' Association, or in short BeMSA, is an organisation comprised of enthusiastic healthcare students that all share the same goal: to make a sustainable change towards social, physical, and psychological well-being for all. It was founded in 2009, when several medical student organisations from Ghent (SWISS), Antwerp and Leuven decided to unite and form one big organisation. BeMSA brings people together to exchange, discuss and initiate projects in order to create a healthier world. It trains its members to give them the skills and resources needed to be health leaders. It advocates for the pressing issues that matter to us to shape the world we want. And it does deliver: our projects, our campaigns and our activities positively impact the physicians-to-be and the communities they serve. After tremendous growth in the past few years, BeMSA now consists of 9 active Local Committees: KU Leuven, UAntwerpen, UCLouvain, UGent, UHasselt, ULB, VUB, ULiège, and KULAK. Each Local Committee organises multiple projects, e.g., Heart for Life, Date your Doctor, Stigma Challenge, and of course, the exchanges. Furthermore, BeMSA is a member of IFMSA, the International Federation of Medical Students' Associations. IFMSA is a global organisation comprised of 1.5 million students from 133 NMOs (National Member Organisations, e.g. BeMSA) in 123 countries. IFMSA works on the local and national levels mainly via its six Standing Committees, each of them focusing focus on major health topics and healthcare student-related interests: SCORA, Standing Committee on Sexual and Reproductive Health including HIV/AIDS; SCOPH, Standing Committee on Public Health; SCORP, Standing Committee on Human Rights and Peace; SCOME, Standing Committee on Medical Education, and of course SCOPE and SCORE, which both focus on exchanges.
4
Belgian Medical Students’ Association – Outgoing Booklet 2020-2021
•••
What is SCOPE? What is SCORE?
The Standing Committee on Professional Exchange (SCOPE) was founded in 1951 and is one of the first standing committees within IFMSA. It has grown into one of the most extensive student-run exchange programs in the world, with around 13.000 medical students participating every year from more than 100 National Member Organizations (NMOs). The aim of SCOPE is to promote cultural understanding and cooperation amongst medical students and all health professionals, through the facilitation of international student exchanges. SCOPE aims to allow all students to learn about global health and attains this partly by having its exchanges accredited by medical faculties across the world. The Standing Committee on Research Exchange (SCORE) was founded in 1991 with the objective of giving students an opportunity of improving their skills in research in other learning settings. Presently, SCORE involves more than 80 active NMOs, offering over 1.600 research projects to provide over 3.000 healthcare students worldwide the opportunity to participate in the IFMSA Research Exchange program and learn the basic principles of medical research such as literature studies, collecting data, scientific writing, lab work, statistics and ethical aspects related to the medicine. The aim of SCORE is to develop both culturally sensitive students and skilled researchers intent on shaping the world of science. SCOPE and SCORE allow students to participate in a 4-week clerkship or 4-week research project, respectively, in one of the countries that BeMSA has signed a contract with. For whom? - SCOPE: medical students starting from 3rd Bachelor of Medicine with at least 45 credits. - SCORE: Medical students and students in the Biomedical Fields according to each Local Committees' rules of the hosting country
5
Belgian Medical Students’ Association – Outgoing Booklet 2020-2021
Price? 450€ (550€ in Leuven) including: • A 4-week clerkship or Research Project • Accommodation • One meal per weekday • Contact Person • Pre-Exchange Training (to be held on 3/04/2021) Local and National Social Programs are dependent on the country and city. Flight tickets, visas, and vaccines are NOT included. 20€ will be reimbursed after completion of your exchange if you fulfill the following two criteria: • Fill in the Evaluation Form that will be sent to you • Send an Exchange Report (according to a template you will receive)
•••
How do I get selected for an exchange?
So, you decided to apply to go on an exchange? Amazing, you won't regret it! Let us explain how it works. In order to get selected to go on exchange, there are two selection rounds. ROUND 1: Motivation Letter, CV, Addendum for Extracurricular Activities and Social Engagement For the first round, you need to write a motivation letter about why you want to go on exchange. Also, motivate at least three departments (SCOPE) or research projects (SCORE)* you want to be placed in. Upload: - Motivation letter (Max. 2 pages) - Curriculum Vitae (Max. 2 pages) - Addendum with specific information about your extracurricular activities and social engagement (Please, make sure to you use THIS template) in the Form (SCOPE or SCORE), November 1st November, 23h59 CET. Late applications will NOT be considered. Attached to this booklet, you will find the country list for this year. Things to keep in mind: • Always read the Exchange Conditions of each country carefully before applying; • Sometimes the exchange is month specific; • Sometimes there are specific requirements to go on exchange to a country. SCOPE-applications will be reviewed by two LEOs (from different LCs) and one NEO. SCOREapplications by two LOREs (from different LCs) and one NORE. * On THIS page you can find the Research Projects that are currently active in the country you wish to go.
6
Belgian Medical Students’ Association – Outgoing Booklet 2020-2021
Applications will be reviewed based on the following criteria: SCOPE
SCORE
Motivation and interest in other healthcare systems
Motivation
Social Engagement and Extracurricular activities (Use this template to indicate)
Social Engagement and Extracurricular Activities
Interest in the clinical field
Interest in research
Motivation for chosen departments
Motivation for chosen projects Previous research experience
Professional impression of the application
Professional impression of the application
Previous Contact Person for BeMSA
Previous Contact Person for BeMSA
Last year that you can apply
If you already applied for a research exchange but did not get selected
Has already been on a SCOPE Exchange
Has already been on a SCORE Exchange
IMPORTANT: To make sure we can score your social engagement and extracurricular activities properly, we ask you to fill in the addendum for Social Engagement and Extracurricular Activities template. This addendum explains precisely what it is you do, how much time it takes, and an estimation of the workload. Click HERE to access the template IMPORTANT: Don't overstep the 2-page limits for your CV and motivation letters; otherwise, your application will be invalid! The only thing that is not considered as invalid is if you upload certificates, recommendation letters, or any other related document.
7
Belgian Medical Students’ Association – Outgoing Booklet 2020-2021
ROUND 2: Online Interviews Selected students will then be notified by the local officers and choose a time slot for the second round, the Online Interviews. Online Interviews will be held on Saturday and Sunday, November 14th & 15th. We ask all applicants to keep both of these days free, as you need to do the Online Interview to get selected to go on exchange. During the Online Interview, the local and national officers will ask some basic questions to determine your English language motivation and knowledge. Suppose you apply for a country where another language is mandatory according to the other country's Exchange Conditions (e.g. French in Canada Québec or Spanish in Guatemala). In that case, this language will also be tested during the interview. After the Online Interview, all students will be notified whether they are selected or not and what country they will go to on Wednesday, November 18th. Thus, the selected students will go on an exchange to that country, but the application process is not yet finished. The department/research project and city division are dependent on the country of destination, so you will have to write short additional motivation letters for your choice departments and projects. This will, however, your LEO or LORE explain all after the selection. IMPORTANT: The deadline for the payment will be within a week after receiving your country by mail. Keep this in mind when you are applying.
8
Belgian Medical Students’ Association – Outgoing Booklet 2020-2021
•••
•••
Testimonials
Summary
9
Belgian Medical Students’ Association – Outgoing Booklet 2020-2021
•••
Summary
10
Belgian Medical Students’ Association – Outgoing Booklet 2020-2021
•••
Important Links
Here you can find the specific Exchange Conditions for each country, for SCOPE. http://exchange.ifmsa.org/exchange/scope/explore/exchange-conditions Here you can find the specific Exchange Conditions for each country, for SCORE. http://exchange.ifmsa.org/exchange/score/explore/exchange-conditions This is a database with all projects from all countries. You can, however, only apply for the projects in the countries that BeMSA signed a contract with (see country list). http://exchange.ifmsa.org/exchange/score/explore/projects These are the SCOPE- and SCORE-webpages from the official BeMSA website. https://ifmsa.org/professional-exchanges/ https://ifmsa.org/research-exchanges/ These are the international SCOPE- and SCORE-webpages from the official IFMSA website. https://www.bemsa.be/privacy This is BeMSA's Privacy Policy. https://ifmsa.org/exchanges-privacy/ This is IFMSA's Exchanges Privacy Policy. https://ifmsa.org/exchanges-privacy/
Check out our Instagram Page for more information:
11
Belgian Medical Students’ Association – Outgoing Booklet 2020-2021
•••
Abbreviations SCORE
Standing Committee on Research Exchange
SCOPE
Standing Committee on Professional Exchange
LEO
Local Exchange Officer
LORE
Local Officer on Research Exchange
NEO
National Exchange Officer
NORE
National Officer on Research Exchange
IFMSA
International Federation of Medical Students' Association
BeMSA
Belgian Medical Student's Association
SCORA
Standing Committee on Sexual and Reproductive Health including HIV/AIDS
SCOPH
Standing Committee on Public Health
SCOME
Standing Committee on Medical Education
SCORP
Standing Committee on Human Rights and Peace
SC
Standing Committee
LC
Local Committee
CV
Curriculum Vitae
NMO
National Member Organisation
PET
Pre-Exchange Training
NGA
National General Assembly
12
Belgian Medical Students’ Association – Outgoing Booklet 2020-2021
•••
Privacy
The BeMSA Exchanges Outgoing Booklet 2019-2020 is the only official information given about our exchange program. Here, we would like to convey information concerning the personal data acquired through the application process for SCOPE and/or SCORE. For further enquiries about privacy, you can email nore@bemsa.be or neo@bemsa.be with the subject [DATA]. With the data collected through the Curriculum Vitae and Motivation Letter, candidates are selected for an exchange based on established outgoing selection criteria. We collect the following personal identifiers through the Curriculum Vitae: first name, surname and email address of the applicant. The personal identifiers are only collected for the purpose of contacting applicants regarding their application status. The data is stored on the BeMSA Google Drive, which is only accessible to relevant BeMSA Officials, as well as the Local Exchange Officers and Local Officers on Research Exchange of BeMSA. BeMSA is not responsible for any copies of the documents that are stored anywhere else except in the BeMSA Google Drive. The data collected is stored for two years after the applicant submitted their Curriculum Vitae, Motivation Letter and Addendum for Extracurricular Activities and Social Engagement. If you wish for any of your data to be deleted, you can email neo@bemsa.be or nore@bemsa.be with the subject [DATA]. However, if the request to delete the data is received before the exchange student participates in the exchange, the student will not be able to take part in the exchange. By submitting a Curriculum Vitae, Motivation Letter, and Addendum for Extracurricular Activities and Social Engagement you agree to the IFMSA Privacy Policy (ifmsa.org/privacy/) and Exchanges Privacy Policy (ifmsa.org/exchanges-privacy/), as well as the BeMSA Privacy Policy (www.bemsa.be/privacy).
13
Belgian Medical Students’ Association – Outgoing Booklet 2020-2021
•••
COUNTRY LIST 1. SCOPE: Professional Exchange Make sure to read the Exchange Conditions before applying for a country! Only Medical students from the 3rd bachelor that took more than 45 credits can apply.
Country
Available month (s)
Exchange Conditions
Europe Austria
July/August
Link
Catalonia
July/August
Link
Croatia
July/August
Link
Czech Republic
July/August
Link
Finland
July/August
Link
France
July/August
Link
Greece
July/August
Link
Malta
July/August
Link
Poland
July/August
Link
Russian Federation
July/August
Link
Serbia
July/August
Link
Slovakia
July/August
Link
Slovenia
July/August
Link
Spain
July/August
Link
Switzerland
July/August
Link
Turkey
July/August
Link
Americas Brazil (IFMSA)
July/August
Link
Eastern Mediterranean Region Egypt
July/August
Link
14
Belgian Medical Students’ Association – Outgoing Booklet 2020-2021
Lebanon
July/August
Link
Morocco
July/August
Link
Tunisia
July/August
Link
Asia Pacific Indonesia
July/August
Link
Korea
July
Link
Taiwan
July/August
Link
15
Belgian Medical Students’ Association – Outgoing Booklet 2020-2021
2. SCORE: Research Exchange Make sure to read the Exchange Conditions before applying for a country! *Only Medical Students
Country
Available month (s)
Exchange Conditions
Europe Austria
July/August
Link
Germany
September
Link
Greece*
July
Link
Macedonia*
July/August
Link
Malta*
September
Link
Moldova*
September
Link
Portugal*
July
Link
Romania
July/August
Link
Slovenia
July/August
Link
Spain
July
Link
Switzerland
July/August
Link
Americas Brazil (IFMSA)
July/August
Link
Asia Pacific Taiwan
July/August
Link
Eastern Mediterranean Region Egypt
July/August
Link
Jordan*
July/August
Link
Morocco
July/August
Link
Tunisia*
July/August
Link
Africa Sudan
July/August
Link
16
